xymnovel Chapter 88: The troops split into three groups!
Chapter 88: The troops split into three groups!
A hint of hesitation flashed in Tie Tu's eyes—
To ally with the Northern Barbarians? That's a blood feud!
Liu Hongyan and Mo Shen fell into deep thought, seemingly weighing the pros and cons.
Only Sikong Xuan and Fan Li frowned even more deeply.
"No!"
Fan Li spoke first, his voice resolute:
"Mr. Zhou's suggestion is far too naive and far too dangerous!"
He looked at Zhou Ce, his eyes sharp:
"First, the blood feud between the Northern Barbarians and our Northern Border runs deep and cannot be resolved by mere interests. Today, we may offer them substantial benefits, and they might agree temporarily, but their wolfish ambitions will never be satisfied. Once we and Qin Mu are both severely weakened, the Northern Barbarians will surely retaliate. At that time, we will have invited a wolf into our house, leading to our own destruction!"
"Secondly, how to maintain morale?"
Fan Li's voice suddenly rose, carrying a power that pierced the heart:
"The soldiers of the Northern Frontier have fought bloody battles against the Northern Barbarians for generations. How many brothers and comrades have died under the Northern Barbarians' blades? How many parents, wives, and children have been trampled by the Northern Barbarians' iron cavalry?"
"Are you telling them now that they should join forces with their enemy to attack their own emperor and their own country?"
He sneered:
"I'm afraid the military camp will mutinied before the orders are even issued!"
Zhou Ce's face flushed red. He wanted to retort, but Fan Li's sharp gaze rendered him speechless.
Fan Li turned to Xu Longxiang and bowed, saying:
"Your Highness, allying with the Northern Barbarians is absolutely unacceptable. It would be like drinking poison to quench thirst, destroying our own defenses!"
Xu Longxiang listened quietly, his face still showing little expression.
His gaze swept over the crowd, finally settling on Sikong Xuan:
"What does Mr. Sikong think?"
Sikong Xuan pondered for a long time before slowly speaking, his voice aged yet steady:
"Mr. Fan is right. Allying with the Northern Barbarians is too risky and could lead to endless troubles. But Mr. Zhou is right about one thing—we really don't need to defend the border to the death for Qin Mu."
He paused, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes:
"I believe that perhaps... we can use their strength against them."
"Using their strength against them?" Xu Longxiang raised an eyebrow.
"That's right." Sikong Xuan nodded. "We won't fight against Northern Mang, but we won't ally with them either. We'll... sit back and watch them fight."
"Sit back and watch the tigers fight?" Tie Tu asked, puzzled. "Master Sikong, the Northern Barbarian army of 200,000 is pressing in. If we don't send troops, Yanmen Pass will be in danger! Once the northern border is opened, countless lives will be lost!"
Sikong Xuan shook his head:
"No. It's not that we won't send troops, but rather... we won't send them with full force."
He looked at Xu Longxiang:
"Your Highness may lead a small force of elite troops to reinforce Yanmen Pass, making it appear as if you are determined to defend the pass to the death. At the same time, secretly send someone to Liyang."
"Liyang?" A glint flashed in Xu Longxiang's eyes.
"Exactly."
Sikong Xuan stroked his beard and said, "Hasn't Empress Zhao Qingxue of Liyang always wanted to unite with us? Now that the Northern Mang has launched a major invasion, it is the best time for us to show her our 'sincerity' and 'ask for help' from her."
Upon hearing this, Fan Li's eyes immediately lit up, and he replied:
"Master Sikong's insight is brilliant! We can secretly send someone to Liyang to inform Zhao Qingxue that the Northern Barbarians have launched a major invasion, putting immense pressure on our northern border, and we fear we cannot hold out for long. We request that Liyang send troops to launch a feigned attack on the east bank of the Lancang River, or to deploy troops to exert pressure and tie down some of the Northern Barbarian forces."
"Wonderful!" Mo Shen couldn't help but clap his hands in praise.
Liu Hongyan's beautiful eyes flickered, and she slowly nodded.
Although Zhou Ce's expression was still not good, he knew that this plan was much safer than his "united with Northern Barbarians".
Tie Tu frowned, and finally said in a low voice, "If Li Yang can really send troops to contain him, this general... has no objection."
All eyes eventually focused on Xu Longxiang.
We await his decision.
Xu Longxiang sat on the tiger-skin armchair, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrests, making a rhythmic "tap, tap" sound.
The candlelight flickered on his face, casting a dim glow on his deep eyes.
He was silent for a long time.
The hall was completely silent, save for the crackling of the candlelight and the suppressed breathing of the crowd.
finally--
Xu Longxiang slowly raised his head.
"The strategies of Mr. Sikong and Mr. Fan are very much to my liking."
His voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable determination:
"To ally with the Northern Barbarians is too risky and would damage the very foundation of our army's morale; it is not advisable. To stand idly by and watch the Northern Barbarians break through our defenses, allowing the people of the northern border to suffer untold calamities, is also not something our Xu family would do."
"By leveraging the power of Liyang, we can restrain the Northern Barbarians, preserve our strength, and at the same time foster an alliance... This is the best strategy."
He paused, his gaze sharp as lightning, sweeping across the crowd:
"However, there are two details that need attention."
"Please speak, Your Highness," Fan Li bowed.
"First," Xu Longxiang said slowly, "who should we send to Liyang?"
The group exchanged glances.
Liu Hongyan stepped forward, curtsied gracefully, her voice soft yet firm:
"Your Highness, Hongyan is willing to go."
Xu Longxiang looked at her.
Liu Hongyan raised her head, her beautiful eyes sparkling with an unusual light:
"Hongyan is skilled in both seductive and poisonous arts, and adept at maneuvering. Empress Zhao Qingxue of Liyang is a woman; if Hongyan goes, she might be better able to cater to her desires and better investigate the true strength of Liyang. Besides..."
She paused, a hint of coldness flashing in her eyes:
"Hongyan also wants to see just what kind of person Empress Liyang is, who can make the Crown Prince so wary of her."
Xu Longxiang gave her a deep look and nodded:
"Alright. Hongyan, this matter is entrusted to you. Remember, this trip must be kept strictly secret; your identity must not be revealed. Your mission is to facilitate an alliance, investigate the true strength of Liyang, and at the same time... keep an eye out for anyone in the Liyang court whom we can win over."
"Hongyan obeys." Liu Hongyan bowed, a hint of excitement and determination flashing in her eyes.
"Secondly," Xu Longxiang's voice turned cold, "the Chen Feng couple, as well as the family of that opera troupe leader in the capital... cannot be allowed to live."
A cold glint flashed in Fan Li's eyes:
"Your Highness, rest assured, I have already made arrangements for this matter. Our men have already infiltrated the capital city, and we are just waiting for the right moment to make them appear as if they have died accidentally, leaving no trace."
"No." Xu Longxiang shook his head. "Since Qin Mu has already brought them into the capital, he must be on guard. Ordinary methods will probably not succeed, and may even alert them."
He looked at the person who had been silent in the corner.
The man was thin and small, dressed in gray cloth clothes, and had an ordinary face that would not be noticed in a crowd.
But as he stood in the shadows, he seemed to blend into them, his breathing so faint it was almost inaudible.
"Ink Mirage," Xu Longxiang said slowly.
The small, thin figure moved slightly, raised its head, and revealed a pair of exceptionally clear, yet emotionless eyes.
"Your subordinate is here."
His voice was very soft and flat, without any inflection.
"Go to the capital yourself."
Xu Longxiang's voice was icy cold. "Use your most proficient methods to make those people... vanish without a trace. Remember, make them disappear like they've evaporated from the face of the earth, leaving not a single trace."
Mo Shen is the most mysterious of the five chief advisors.
He is proficient in Qimen Dunjia (a form of divination), mechanisms and hidden weapons, and is especially skilled in a long-lost secret technique.
It can completely "dissolve" a person, leaving not even a trace of ashes.
It is said that in his youth he was a fearsome assassin in the martial arts world, but was later subdued by Xu Xiao and became the most secretive blade in the Northern Territory.
Mo Shen nodded slowly, his voice remaining calm:
"Understood. Within three days, they will be completely wiped out from the world."
There were no grand pronouncements, no superfluous emotions.
But his calm tone sent a chill down the spines of the others in the hall.
Xu Longxiang nodded in satisfaction, then looked at Tie Tu one last time:
"Iron General".
"Your subordinate is here!" Tie Tu stepped forward, his voice booming like a bell.
"Gather 50,000 elite troops and set off immediately to reinforce Yanmen Pass."
Xu Longxiang stood up, his black outfit fluttering without wind, and a long-lost aura of battlefield solemnity emanated from him.
At this moment, he was no longer the prince who endured humiliation in front of Qin Mu.
He was not a general, but the commander of 300,000 iron cavalry in the North, a general about to go to the battlefield and fight a bloody battle with his nemesis.
"Since the Northern Barbarians dare to come, then I'll let them know—"
Xu Longxiang's eyes flashed with a cold light, and his voice was as firm as iron:
"The North is not a place they can come and go as they please!"
"Your subordinate obeys!" Tie Tu knelt on one knee, his eyes burning with fighting spirit.
Xu Longxiang surveyed the crowd in the hall one last time, his gaze sharp and piercing:
"Gentlemen, the plan has been finalized. Everyone should perform their duties without fail."
"Hongyan headed to Liyang, Mo Shen infiltrated the imperial city, and Tie Tu and I rushed to Yanmen Pass. Mr. Fan and Mr. Sikong were stationed at the Prince's Mansion to oversee the overall situation, while Mr. Zhou was in charge of supplies and intelligence transmission."
"This battle concerns the survival of the North, and even more so, our future cause."
He took a deep breath, his voice suddenly rising, carrying a resolute determination:
"Gentlemen, follow me... into battle!"
"I am willing to follow the Crown Prince, even through fire and water, without hesitation!"
The five responded in unison, their voices echoing throughout Zhenyue Hall, causing the candlelight to flicker violently.
Xu Longxiang turned around and strode towards the outside of the hall.
........
Half an hour later, at the west gate of the Northern Kingdom.
Fifty thousand cavalry have been assembled.
The dark, imposing cavalry formations, like a silent steel forest, exuded a suffocating, chilling aura in the pre-dawn darkness.
Warhorses neighed, armor clanged, and banners fluttered in the morning breeze.
Xu Longxiang was dressed in black armor, covered by a dark cloak, with the "Broken Army Sword" hanging at his waist, riding a jet-black horse with snow-white hooves.
His face was as cold and stern as iron, his eyes as sharp as knives, as he surveyed the iron cavalry before him.
These are the elite troops of the North, a battle-hardened force forged through years of bloody battles with the Northern Barbarians.
"Soldiers!"
Xu Longxiang's voice, amplified by his true energy, boomed like thunder, resounding throughout the entire army formation:
"The Northern Barbarians, with an army of 200,000, are pressing in, their forces poised to strike Yanmen Pass!"
"They thought that our northern border had just received the Emperor's visit, and that our forces were scattered and morale was low!"
"They thought they could take advantage of our weakness, trample our homes, and slaughter our elders!"
"tell me--"
He drew his sword abruptly, and the "Broken Army Sword" gleamed with a cold, sharp light in the pre-dawn glow.
"Can we agree to that?!"
"cannot!!!"
Fifty thousand iron cavalry roared in unison, their voices like a tidal wave, shaking the city walls slightly!
"good!"
Xu Longxiang pointed his sword northward:
"Follow me into battle! Let the barbarians of the North know that the blades of the North are not yet rusted! The blood of the North is not yet cold!"
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
With a roar, Xu Longxiang took the lead and charged out of the city gate.
Behind them, 50,000 iron cavalry surged forth like a black torrent, heading north, towards Yanmen Pass, towards the battlefield soon to be stained with blood.
The thunderous sound of horses' hooves shattered the silence of dawn.
It also sounded the most stirring and brutal battle drum of this era.
Meanwhile, in another direction from the capital, two fast horses silently set off, galloping off in completely different directions.
A horse heads east, towards the Lancang River, towards Liyang.
On horseback, Liu Hongyan, dressed in red, shone like a burning flame in the morning breeze. Her beautiful face was filled with determination and anticipation.
A horse galloped south, heading towards the imperial city, towards that most prosperous and also most dangerous city in the world.
On horseback, Mo Shen was still dressed in gray cloth, with an ordinary face and indifferent eyes, as if he were just going to the market rather than carrying out a top-secret mission concerning life and death.
The morning light finally pierced through the darkness completely.
A new day has begun.
And at this moment, the gears of fate began to turn faster.
No one knows whether what awaits them ahead is the glory of victory or the abyss of destruction.
But in any case, they can't turn back from this path.